and everything went better than expected
by Judamacaby
Summary: After going back in time for the first time, Homura gets a little too excited when she see her 'friend' alive and well.


Two days. It had been two days since she had last spoken to her. Two days since that incredibly awkward moment in the classroom.

_Kaname-san! I became a magical girl, too!_

Madoka's look of embarrassment still lingered vividly in her mind. Homura sighed as she let herself fall backwards onto her bed. She took off her glasses and placed them on the bedside table before sighing deeply once more. She rubbed her forehead while staring intently at the ceiling, despite her slightly blurred vision. What had she been thinking? Or rather, she hadn't been thinking. She was so overcome with -what was it? Joy? Relief?- that her friend was sitting alive and well across the room from her, that she could've cared less about making a spectacle of herself. Of course, that was it, wasn't it? She hadn't cared about looking like a fool _herself_, but she hadn't given any thought to how awkward it might be for Madoka or the reaction of the others around her.

"I was just…happy to see her," she muttered aloud.

She sighed for the third time. Each class she had shared with Madoka since that moment had been tense. Every time Homura glanced her way, their eyes met, and Madoka immediately looked away. After class was dismissed, Madoka quickly packed and left before Homura could even make any sort of contact.

In her eagerness, Homura had single-handedly destroyed her chances of making contact in one impulsive move.

"How can I protect her if I can't even speak to her properly?" Homura said quietly. Her eyes began to burn slightly from the tears she held back. Crying would be of no use. She would simply have to try again tomorrow.

_In the meantime, _Homura thought,_ I suppose I should get started on tonight's homework. _She giggled, _It should be easy since I've already done it once before._

Sitting up, she stretched and reached to grab her bag from the bedside table where she always put it…only to find it wasn't there. She panicked as she paced through the room.

_Where is it? Did I leave it at school? On the train? I didn't stop anywhere after school. How did I not notice it before now? I had to use my spare key to get into the apartment. I should've realized...Ugh, I've been so distracted. Why am I so _clumsy_!_

She was just about to search the house when the doorbell rang, sending her into another frenzy. She turned to grab her glasses from the table, but misjudged her distance and collided with the table instead, knocking her glasses to the floor. Before she had time to react, she stepped on them which promptly broke them completely in half. She cried out in frustration as the doorbell rang once again. She ran frantically to the door, not even considering that an axe-murderer could be waiting on the other side, and flung it open…

…to reveal a rather petite pink-haired girl clutching a very familiar bag to her chest.

They both stared for a moment before Homura managed to speak.

"K-K-Ka-Ka-Kaname-san," Homura sputtered out.

"G-Good evening, Akemi-san," Madoka said, blushing slightly, "Um…y-you left your bag today at your desk. I, er, had to go back to the classroom after forgetting something of my own and I noticed it," she finished, holding the bag out to her.

"Th-Thank you, Kaname-san," Homura thanked her, before continuing, "A-About the other day," Madoka's eyebrows raised slightly, "I'm v-very sorry for embarrassing you so. I-I just-"

Madoka cut her off, "It's ok, Akemi-san," she began, smiling, "To be honest, I've been wanting to try to talk to you for a couple of days now."

"B-but you always left so quickly after class. I-I thought-"

"Oh, No! It's nothing like that. You said yourself that you're a magical girl, right?"

Homura nodded.

"Well," Madoka let out an embarrassed chuckle, "I kind of went past curfew and mom and dad weren't very happy. I'm grounded, but well, you leaving your bag was the perfect excuse for me to leave the house and finally have a real conversation with you."

Homura couldn't help but give a small smile at her sincerity. Madoka's attitude in general had that effect on her.

They stood in silence for a moment before Madoka broke it.

"Akemi-san, do y-"

"Y-you can call me Homura…if you'd like," Homura interrupted her.

"Homura-chan, then." Madoka continued, beaming, "Do you live alone?"

"Yes. My parents are abroad," Homura replied, looking askance.

Madoka's smile faded, but didn't disappear. She couldn't quite grasp the concept of having a child and leaving them in another country alone. She didn't press further for fear of bringing up a topic Homura didn't wish to discuss.

"Would you like to come inside, Kaname-san? I could make tea."

"Oh, no, I couldn't. I have to get home."

Homura looked a bit crestfallen.

"It's not like that Homura-chan! I'm still grounded after all. I can't stay out very long. Did you forget that fast?" she said teasingly.

Homura mentally slapped herself. _Way to be attentive, _she thought.

"I guess I should be goi-"

"Wait!" Madoka was caught off-guard by the outburst.

"I just wanted to say again that I'm sorry for-"

"That's enough of that." Madoka giggled. "It was a little funny, and I'm sure some of our classmates think we're both a bit crazy now, but I didn't even give it another thought." Madoka thought for a moment, "Oh! By the way, Mami-san wants to meet you tomorrow after school. She's another magical girl."

Homura nodded. "I look forward to it."

"I have to say," Madoka said quietly, "It's meet another magical girl my age that's just as inexperienced as I am. I don't feel so inadequate anymore."

"Y-You shouldn't feel inadequate! Y-you're great!" Homura all but shouted.

Madoka grinned. "And you really should be more discreet, Homura-chan!" she said in a mock-stern tone, "We have to keep this a secret."

Homura felt her face warm, "Y-yes. Of course."

"Well. Good-night, Homura-chan."

"Good-night."

"Oh, and Homura-chan?"

"Y-Yes?"

"Your eyes are really pretty. You can see them so much more clearly without your glasses."

Homura was certain that her face just turned six shades of red. "Th-Thank you, Kaname-san."

"You can call me, Madoka."

Homura just looked sideways. Madoka shook her head and gave Homura one last bright smile before she trotted down the stairs, humming to herself along the way, glad to have made a new friend, and not even stopping to think about how this strange girl apparently knew her. Homura went back into her apartment and shut the door. Leaning back against it she smiled and closed her eyes.

_I made the right decision_, she thought. _That smile is worth protecting._


End file.
